After almost 10 years of production and a facelift in 2021, Škoda have launched the second generation of their mid-sized crossover SUV, the Kodiaq. Based on the VW MQB platform, will this new generation win over its customers like the first one did?
Selling an average of 120,000 units globally each year, it’s been offering customers a great value and practical family SUV. Available in 5 or 7 seat options, the Kodiaq was often a hard bit of kit to beat.
With the introduction of the second generation of the Kodiaq, Škoda now offer two mild hybrids, one diesel option, all of which are only available in New Zealand with a 7-Speed DSG.
What We Like and Dislike About The Škoda Kodiaq TDI 4×4
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Bold range of colours Styling Spec level Extra design features 7 Seats Performance | Price The power button under the touch screen |
What’s In The Škoda Kodiaq TDI 4×4 Range?
The 2025 Kodiaq comes in 3 variants: two petrol hybrids and a diesel. They are split up in order of price and spec level as follows:
The Kodiaq TSI 110kW petrol hybrid, which is the only 5-seat variant, starts at $57,500. The Kodiaq+ TSI 110kW petrol hybrid has the same 1.4-litre petrol hybrid engine as the base model, while the Plus provides 7 seats with a third row, and starts at $64,500. The Plus comes standard with electric driver’s seat and power tailgate.
The top spec variant is the Kodiaq TDI 142kW 4×4, powered by a 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine, and is the only variant with all-wheel drive. The TDI variant starts from $78,300 which is a big jump from the other two models. This variant comes with the full range of driver upgrade options, larger centre screen, upgraded sound system and area view 360 cameras.
Škoda Kodiaq TDI 4×4 Paint Colour Options
The range of paint colours available is great. Outside the standard black, white and silver, you have a great range of vibrant colours. Everyone really liked the review car’s colour, Bronx Gold. All the colours come as no additional cost options.
- Bronx Gold (review vehicle paint option)
- Velvet Red
- Race Blue
- Black Magic
- Moon White
- Brilliant Silver
- Steel Grey
- Graphite Grey
- Energy Blue
Our Review Vehicle’s Optional Equipment
Our review vehicle came as standard, and I was surprised that it didn’t have a sunroof or panoramic roof at all, considering the base price bracket. Which means there is no change to the review car’s retail price of $78,300.
For a full list of specs and options available for the Škoda Kodiaq TDI 4×4, head on over to Škoda New Zealand’s website.
How Does The Škoda Kodiaq TDI 4×4 Compare To Its Competition?
I feel the price jump with the Kodiaq TDI 4×4 pushes it up into another bracket, which provides the customer with a lot of options to consider. Without spending much more, you can get a vehicle that is a real 4×4 and can go fully off-road – and you can get vehicles that are bigger for less.
So the new Škoda Kodiaq needs to offer a pretty good all-round package to stand toe to toe and compete.
SUV Comparison Chart
| Make/ Model | Engine | Power/ Torque kW/Nm | Seats | Fuel L/100km | Towing Capacity | Boot Space, litres | Price |
| Toyota Land Cruiser Prado GXL Hybrid | 2.8L Turbo diesel | 150 / 500 | 7 | 8.7 | 3,500 | 104 / 974 / 1895 | $83,990 |
| GWM Tank 500 Ultra Hybrid | 2.0L Turbo petrol-hybrid | 255 / 648 | 7 | 8.5 | 3,000 | 98 / 795 / 1,459 | $82,990 |
| Toyota Highlander Limited ZR Hybrid | 2.5-litre, 4-cylinder petrol-hybrid | 142/242 | 7 | 6.2 | 700/2,000 | 450/1,370/2,390 | $80,990 |
| Skoda Kodiaq TDI 4×4 | 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder, turbo diesel | 142/400 | 7 | 8.0 | 750/2,500 | 340 / 910 / 2035 | $78,300 |
| GWM Tank 500 Lux Hybrid | 2.0L 4-cylinder Turbo Petrol Hybrid | 255 / 648 | 7 | 8.5 | 750/3,000 | 98 / 795 / 1,459 | $74,990 |
| Ford Everest Trend | 2.0L 4-cylinder Bi-turbo Diesel | 154/500 | 7 | 8.3 | 750/3,500 | 259/898/1,823 | $74,990 |
| Mazda CX-80 SP Hybrid | 3.3, 6-cylinder, petrol-hybrid | 209/450 | 7 | 8.4 | 750/2,500 | 258/687/1,971 | $74,990 |
| Mitsubishi Pajero Sport 2.4D VRX | 2.4 L 4-cylinder Turbo Diesel | 135/437 | 7 | 9.2 | 750/3,100 | 131/502/1,488 | $59,990 |
Please note that DriveLife does its best to ensure the information above is correct at the time of publication, however, prices, specifications and models can change over time. Please bear that in mind when comparing models in the comparison table.
First Impressions Of The Škoda Kodiaq TDI 4×4
I didn’t really know what to expect when I heard I would be reviewing the new Kodiaq. The team at DriveLife have liked the Škoda brand for many years, as they offer great products at great value, something that in the current economic times needs a lot more of. I thought the Kodiaq would be good, but I was not fully ready for how much it’s changed since the previous generation.
The exterior styling has taken a jump up, following the design language of the stunning Enyaq, which is great.
A strong front grille, sharp lines and continued strong features down the length of the body. The rear looks clean and sporty, with the LED lights breaking the large rear hatch into two smaller sections. Overall, it’s a pretty good-looking car for an SUV.
I was surprised that I really liked the Bronx Gold paint colour the review vehicle came in. It works so well with the new style, and it stands out from the crowds of black, white and silver cars these days.
What’s The Interior Like In The Škoda Kodiaq TDI 4×4?
The changes inside the cabin of the all-new Kodiaq are impressive, it feels much more upmarket and I dare say if it didn’t have any badges, you might feel that it’s more like a VW or Audi than a Škoda.
The inside of our review car was spec’ed with the Suite Black interior option. This option has black leather seats, steering wheel, centre console and some dash areas. The dash also has this really nice composite texture running across it and down both front doors. It has a bit of a blueish grey feel to it, which nicely offsets the black leather features and the clean interior design.
Škoda has a lot of little touches to its cars that make them stand out above the rest, and the main one everyone loves is the umbrella in the side of both front doors. The only other car brand that I know that does this is Rolls-Royce, so it’s hard not to feel like it’s a bit special. The other cool feature they have is automatic door protection strips that fold out onto the edge of the door, which avoid any dings or paint chips on the door if it’s opened up again a wall or even worse, another vehicle. Simple and thoughtful, which is what Škoda seem to do really well.
Both front seats are electric in the TDI variant, which is great, they are very comfortable and take no time at all to find a nice driving or seat position. The second row has excellent legroom, the seats were not a deep as the front, but pretty comfortable, and it felt very spacious. The third row I would describe as for primary school children, my 7-year-old loved it, all the way in the back on her own, and she found the seats and seatbelt setup quick and easy to use. Getting in and out of the back with the second row sliding and tilting made it nice and easy, too.
The main screen on the Kodiaq TDI is 13 inches, 3 inches bigger than the two hybrid variants. The screen is very clear and easy to navigate. I paired my Google Pixel phone very quickly and without any drama, Android Auto came up. Everything was nice and easy to use, access music, phone, navigation and climate controls. My only issue with it was the power button for the screen, which was right below it. I found that I would use my middle finger to balance my hand on the dash while pressing the touch screen. And my middle finger would press and power off the display several times accidentally due to its placement. Not a dealbreaker for me, as I would get used to it, but it was a bit frustrating.
The centre console of the Kodiaq is clean and simple, with the centre console cubby spaces and drink holders all covered up, you can just see the 3 smart dials under the air vents. These dials allow you to click and select a range of options, air conditioning, seat heating, etc. Super easy to use, and it really helps to declutter the dash with buttons. You can see them in action, in Fred’s review of the 2025 Skoda Superb Wagon
Once you slide open the centre console cover, there is space for two phones to wirelessly charge, which is really nice to finally see, no more swapping phones when the passenger’s phone runs down. We were able to charge an Apple iPhone and Google Pixel phone at the same time. Under this there are two cupholders, which also have a sliding top on them that slides back to create 4 cupholders, very handy and so simple in its design.
The boot is a large space, much more user-friendly than a lot of other seven-seaters. With all seats up, it’s 340 litres, with two deep pockets on either side of the boot opening. When the third row of seats is down, this space opens up to 910 litres, which is nice, a really deep space. This grows to 2,035 litres when the second row of seats is down too. I really liked the quick cover sheets that were in the boot. One way you can have a carpet-covered boot, and with one flip you now have a rubber boot liner for anything that might damage the interior. The boot opening is huge, and not too high off the ground, which makes the overall boot a very practical space.
What’s The Škoda Kodiaq TDI 4×4 Like To Drive?
Škodas are generally not a butt clenching driver’s car, they’re more of an everyday workhorse. I was glad to see that the diesel model was the top spec as for too long diesels have been shunned to the side. This variant has the 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine, that creates 142kW and 400Nm of torque. This meant that nothing felt difficult or arduous, it all came naturally and effortlessly.
Škoda advertises that the fuel usage on the new Kodiaq is 6.8 litres per 100km. The week in the Kodiaq started off a bit bumpy around 9.0 litres per 100km, however by the end of the week I managed to get it down to 7.1 litres per 100km. This was a mixture of around-city driving and several drives from Porirua to central Wellington and the Hutt. I thought that was pretty good, as I was not trying to drive any more efficiently than I normally would. It just showcased how well the diesel option is set up for this car, that 400Nm is just perfect for it. I would also note that when I collected the Kodiaq, a full tank displayed a range of 910km, and when it went back, after 500km of driving, it still displayed 450km range to go.
The driver’s display is clean and easy to use, there are two main views you can have: dials or a cleaner modern view. I found the dials to be more informative. I did like how Škoda had kept the driver’s display simple, not getting lost with too many graphics, or redesigning how to display it.
The clean and simple design continues onto the steering wheel, which is not cluttered at all. Steering wheel heating, voice commands and volume on the left. And drivers display options and menus dial on the right. Cruise control options are positioned on a smaller stalk on the left side, which follows in the same Škoda, VW, and Audi setup they have offered for many years.
Driving the new Kodiaq is a breeze, the only thing you might have to adjust to is the new gear selector stalk on the right-hand side of the steering wheel. Unlike other brands, you twist this one twist forward for Drive, and twist back for reverse. Neutral is in the middle, and Park is a push button on the end of the stalk. After a day or two, this became natural to use, I never had any issues with it.
Driving feel is nice, steering is light, and you are never left feeling that the car is very heavy or unstable. The cabin is very quiet, which is something I take note of for a diesel vehicle, long gone are the days of noisy cabins from diesel engines. The ride is smooth, takes up a lot of the bumps in the road. There is noticeable body roll in the corners, but it never feels too bad, for what it is. Brake feel is good, nothing dynamic, just smooth and simple, leaving the driver with plenty of confidence that they are in control at all times.
Visibility around the cabin is splendid until you get to the rear of the vehicle. From the C pillar to the rear of the vehicle, visibility is a bit obstructed. More so if you have someone in the third row of seats. Thankfully, the 360-degree camera view fills in any gaps, and allows you to manoeuvre with ease, seeing everything around the vehicle.
The driver assistance tech is nice, lane and side assists, radar cruise control, and front assist with autonomous braking. I found all of these features to be useful, while not being overbearing, most give you some heads up warning, without suddenly just jumping in and pulling the steering wheel from your hands. This is how it should be, an assistant, another set of eyes, helping you when you need it. It left me feeling very safe behind the steering wheel.
Skoda Kodiaq TDI 4×4 – Specifications
| Vehicle Type | SUV |
| Starting Price | $78,300 |
| Price as Tested | $78,300 |
| Engine | 2.0-Litre Turbo Diesel |
| Power, Torque kW/Nm | 142 / 400 |
| Transmission | 7 Speed DSG 4×4 |
| Spare Wheel | Space Saver |
| Kerb Weight, Kg | 1,825 |
| Length x Width x Height mm | 4758 x 1864 x 1559 |
| Boot Space / Cargo Capacity, Litres (seats up/seats down) | 340 / 910 / 2035 |
| Fuel tank capacity, litres | 58 |
| Fuel Economy, L/100km | Advertised Spec – Combined – 6.8 Real-World Test – Combined – 7.1 Low Usage: 0-6 / Medium Usage 6-12 / High Usage 12+ |
| Towing Capacity Kg, unbraked/braked | 750 / 2,500 |
| Turning circle metres | 11.2 Small: 6-10m / Medium 10-12m / Large 12m+ |
| Warranty | 5-year warranty and roadside assistance |
| Safety information | ANCAP Rating – 5 stars – Link Rightcar.govt.nz – 5 Stars – QZS946 |
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